Description

Description

This is a Rosé Champagne with 6 to 8% of Pinot Meunier red wine blended in to the white base. 3500 bottles are released each year. The wine has soft strawberry with cream, raspberry and citrus aromas. Delicious with poached salmon or shellfish like lobster.

Grape

Contrary to popular belief Rosé Champagnes are the heaviest sparkling wines as they have a percentage (up to 15%) of red wines added to produce the pink colour. Rosé Champagnes also usually have a higher percentage of red grapes in the blend so typical aromas are strawberry, raspberry, cream and citrus.

Producer

In 1911 the union between Jules Goutorbe and Louise Bouillot gave rise to the house of Champagne Goutourbe-Bouillot. Both families had been involved in the Champagne business since 1775 selling their wines to the large Champagne houses. Today the estate is owned by the Papleux family, and Bastien, the great grandson of Jules and Louise, makes the wine and manages the business. The 8 hectares of 35 different parcels of vineyards extend over the Vallée de la Marne. Goutorbe-Bouillot Champagnes are produced by a method similar to the sherry Solera system. Each year they use 50% of this reserve wine in the blend. This means that the wine contains some of all the earlier vintages in decreasing proportions. The aim is to give more maturity and complexity to the wines.

Region

Champagne only comes from the Champagne region of France. It is the most famous and prestigious sparkling wine in the world and is produced from grapes grown only in the Champagne region, the most northerly wine region of France, north-east of Paris. There are three main areas, the Côte des Blancs, Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims. Champagne is produced by a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Only three grape varieties are used: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Food Pairing

With lots of fresh acidity, creamy bubbles and restrained red fruit Rosé Champagnes are good with a wide variety of dishes including grilled fish like tuna or salmon, sushi and sashimi, Chinese dishes and mildly spiced Indian dishes. Rosé Champagnes are usually too dry to suit red fruit desserts.